Black Americans’ Views of and Engagement With Science
Half of Black adults see lack of access to quality education, lack of mentors as major reasons young people don’t pursue STEM degrees
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- Black Americans’ Views of and Engagement With Science
- Comparatively small shares of Black adults see science, engineering jobs as ‘open’ to Black people
- 54% of Black adults see a spur to more young Black people in STEM from more role models, high achievers
- U.S. Black population
- Majorities of Black Americans are familiar with misconduct in the Tuskegee study, have concerns about ongoing potential for serious cases of research misconduct
- Younger Black women more likely to have had a range of negative health care experiences
- Majorities of Black Americans have engaged with COVID-19 information
- Large majority of Black college graduates working in STEM jobs can recall a positive experience in STEM classes from their most recent school experience
- Relatively few Black adults say Black people have found highest levels of success as scientists
- Scientists, engineering professions rated among the lowest for openness to Black people in these jobs
- Black adults with postgraduate degrees are less likely to view medical doctors, engineers as very welcoming to Black people in these jobs
- 44% of Black high school graduates say someone made them feel excited about their abilities in STEM
- Majority of Black college graduates working in STEM jobs recall positive classroom experiences
- Black adults with higher levels of education more likely to see lack of mentors as a reason young people may not pursue STEM
- Majority of Black college graduates say more examples of Black high achievers in STEM would encourage young Black people to study STEM fields
- Black Americans express most confidence in medical scientists, scientists to act in the public interest
- Older Black adults are more likely to have strong confidence in scientists to act in public’s interests
- Black adults rate medical researchers’ competence more positively than their accountability
- Black adults who are more familiar with what medical researchers do see them in a more positive light
- Three quarters of Black adults have heard or read at least a little about the Tuskegee syphilis study
- Older Black adults more likely to say they have heard or read a lot about the Tuskegee syphilis study
- Majority of Black adults say medical research misconduct is just as likely to occur today as in the past
- 55% of Black adults say that research misconduct is at least a moderately big problem
- Black adults attribute health inequities to less access to quality care, range of other reasons
- Majorities of Black adults with higher levels of education see range of factors contributing to worse health outcomes for Black people
- 47% of Black adults say health outcomes for Black people have improved over past 20 years
- Majority of Black adults give positive ratings to the quality of health care they’ve received most recently
- 40% of Black adults say they’ve had to speak up to get proper medical care
- Younger Black women more likely to say they’ve had negative health care experiences
- Younger Black women are especially likely to say they prefer to see a Black doctor for routine care
- Most Black adults view Black doctors as about the same as others at providing them health care
- Younger Black women are especially likely to say a Black health care provider is better than others at providing quality medical care
- Engagement with news and information varies across science-related topic areas
- Black Americans report a mix of reactions to science-related news
- Majorities of Black adults say they can rely on experts for information on science-related topics
- College-educated Black adults are more inclined to say they can rely on experts for information related to science
- A majority of Black adults say there have been public events about the coronavirus in their community
- A majority of Black adults are at least somewhat interested in science news
- Men and older Black adults express more interest in following science news
- American Trends Panel recruitment surveys
- Invitation and reminder dates
- Weighting dimensions
- Table shows unweighted sample sizes and error attributable to sampling expected at the 95% level of confidence
- Response rates
- Focus groups with Black and Hispanic Americans
- Black adults with postgraduate education more likely to have positive as well as negative STEM schooling experiences
- Black Americans who had a same-race high school teacher in STEM more likely to say someone encouraged them, helped show relevance of STEM for their career
- Older Black adults have more positive views of medical researchers’ competence, caring than younger Black adults
- Most Black Americans are skeptical that medical researchers admit their mistakes all or most of time
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